The present invention relates to a hollow body for use as a seat or sitting support. Particularly, the present invention relates preferably to a hollow body having an especially designed sitting area.
Usually, seats have a flat sitting area which is elastically distorted by the load due to the weight of a person. Thereby, the sitting area adaptingly fits to the parts of the body being in contact therewith. Commonly, these are body parts of the backside, parts of the thigh and the pelvis bottom. The pressure resulting from the body weight is received by the resting parts of the body and leads to compressions and distortions thereof. A pressure load of the resting parts of the backside and of the thigh are received by their muscles, which can durably stand this load without any problems. It is a different situation, however, in case of diseases of the prostate or also in the presence of haemorrhoids. Pressure loads in the area of the pelvis bottom are passed on to the internally placed prostrate and thereby can result in undesired additional irritations. Centrally located pressure loads of the pelvis bottom can also take effect on the haemorrhoids and result also in an undesired irritation or pain.
Therefore, it is an object of the preferred embodiments to provide a hollow body for the use as a seat or seat support having a design which at least reduces the pressure loads affecting the pelvis bottom, wherein the pressure load is distributed among and concentrated onto parts of the body which have higher physical resilience. The seat shall further provide a stable sitting area support for users.
The hollow body according to the preferred embodiments has at least two sectional portions destined for receiving parts of the backside of the user, by which a total support is achieved. Between the portions there is formed a deepening or recess relative to the height of the sitting area or even a through hole or through-cut, respectively, which as it is depressed prevents the contact with the aforementioned parts of the body to be taken care of. Between the portions there is a connecting web which ensure the joining of the portions.
The connecting web may be designed arbitrarily, preferably in one-piece or integrated with the portions. It may be fitted such that overall a U-like shaped, horseshoe-like shaped, ring-like shaped, tire-like shaped structure and sitting area is formed, in which adjoining integral parts form the portions and the connecting web. With that, both legs of the horseshoe or U-like shape form the portions, whereas the bent intermediate part between the legs forms the connecting web. In case of a tire-like shape both the portions and the connecting web are shaped in a bent way.
Preferably, the deepening, recess or through hole or through-cut are opened outwardly, respectively, since the corresponding parts of the body, e.g. the prostate are also arranged outside. This results in a pelvis-like recess or deepening or hole, respectively, which is accessible from outside or which is opened outwardly, respectively.
Preferably, the skin of the hollow body is at least partially made of a thermoplastic polymer, e.g. PE, HD-PE, ABS, PA, PVC or PES, preferably treated with plasticizer and the common additives.
Preferably, the middle axes of the portions form an angle with each other, but alternatively may also be parallel. The shape of the portions is flat and rounded or straightened at its periphery, but otherwise arbitrary.
Preferably, the sitting area of the hollow body is U-like shaped, horseshoe-like shaped, ring-like shaped or tire-like shaped (with interruption). The e.g. U-like shaped sitting area ensures that the pelvis bottom of the user, who may come centrally into contact with a seat, is effected by less or by no pressure load. The legs of the sitting area support the thighs of a seating person, whereas parts of the backside are arranged over a centrally cut out area (deepening or recess) of the e.g. U-like shaped sitting area. The resilience of the hollow body results in an ergonomic fitting of the sitting area to the anatomy of the resting parts of the body.
More preferably, the hollow body fits to the anatomy of the parts of the body resting on the sitting area. Further, the hollow body may provide dynamical seating characteristics in combination with the resilient and elastic properties and can in that way reduce at the same time tensions, pain states and nerval irritations in the area of the lumbar and dorsal vertebra and support the curing thereof.
Further, the hollow body according to the preferred embodiments is suitable for causing the user to move the dorsal vertebra in a compensating way, which increases the well-being and comfort during long persisting duration of seating and prevents effectively a tiredness.
Further, the deepening intended for the hollow body according to the preferred embodiments may be arranged between the legs of the U-like shaped, horseshoe-like shaped or tire-like shaped sitting area, respectively. This deepening shall be of sufficient depth in order to guarantee a suitable and advantageous relief of pressure of the pelvis bottom.
Alternatively, instead of the deepening the hollow body may have a recess or hole between the legs of the U-like shaped sitting area. The recess provides a continuous deepening of the height of the hollow body. In case of sufficient depth of the deepening or sufficient height of the hollow body, respectively, no pressure load will effect the areas of the pelvis bottom free of any sitting area. It results in the desired relief independent of the grade of the elastic distortion of the hollow body by the weight of the sitting person. The deepening or the recess is extended preferably over the complete spacious interior, respectively, comprised by the sitting area.
In a preferred embodiment, the hollow body has a supporting area, which e.g. is in contact with the sitting area of a chair arranged below. The supporting area is spaced from the sitting area by a distance. A front area of the sitting area is defined by the opening of the sitting area, i.e. preferably parts of the thighs are resting on the front area. Correspondingly, parts of the backside are resting on the rear area of the sitting area.
The hollow body or the parts, respectively, forming the sitting area taper advantageously in the thickness or size leading off from the rear area towards the front area.
Preferably, the hollow body according to the preferred embodiments has a substantially wedge-shaped profile in a longitudinal section. The outstanding feature of this wedge-shaped profile is substantially uniform tapering of the height of the hollow body. Alternatively, the sitting area and the supporting area may be spaced constantly, i.e. these both areas substantially run parallel in the section.
In a further preferred embodiment the outer outline of the hollow body exhibits a contour in a top view which can partially be fitted to a substantially elliptical or circular circumference. That is, the sitting area of the hollow body may be described as a substantially elliptical or circular sitting area, which has a deepening or recess, respectively, such that an overall U-like shaped or horseshoe-like shaped sitting area is formed.
Advantageously, the substantially elliptical or circular contour may have a diameter in the range of 30 cm to 50 cm.
Further advantageously, the deepening may have substantially a width in the range of 20 mm to 150 mm. Correspondingly, an alternative recess may advantageously also have substantially a width in the range of 20 mm to 150 mm.
The supporting area of the hollow body according to the preferred embodiments, which is in contact with a support, e.g. sitting area of a chair, may have a reinforcement structure of the supporting are in order to offer an additional protection against damage of the supporting area or in order to have a shape stabilizing effect on the U-like shaped sitting area, respectively. The reinforcement of the supporting area may be formed continuously in the area of a recess. A reinforcement in the area of the recess is advantageous, in order to prevent a diverging of the legs of the U-like shaped sitting area. The diverging of these legs may occur especially when using elastic materials, which are loaded by the weight of the person sitting thereon.
In a further preferred embodiment the surface of the hollow body is formed in predetermined areas in a nonskid way. The nonskidding is of interest in areas of the supporting area as well as in areas of the sitting area, e.g. so as to preclude a potential risk of injuring because of skidding of the hollow body according to the preferred embodiment. Nonskidding may be ensured e.g. by specific surface materials or e.g. by structuring of the surface.
Further advantageously, predetermined areas of the surface may have projecting bulges, rips or webs. These bulges may serve for the aforementioned nonskidding but also have a shape-stabilizing effect as well as they can give an optically attractive design to the hollow body. The bulges may have e.g. a substantially circular base area, advantageously with a diameter in the range of 0.01 cm to 1 cm or e.g. a lamella-like structure, advantageously with a width in the range of 0.01 cm to 1 cm.
In a preferred embodiment, the seat formed as a hollow body is fluid or solid-matter filled. Preferably, air or a liquid such as water may be used as fluid. Further, a viscous liquid such as a gel is considerable as fluid filing, which takes a damping effect on movements of the person seating on the seat. An elastic ductile filling material may be used as solid-matter. Among other things plastic foams are used for having different resilient characteristics.
Preferably, the hollow body envelopes the filling fluid, gel or the filling solid-matter in one or several internal chambers. These filling chambers may be self-contained to each other or may have defined ducts. In case of fluid-filling of the hollow body defined ducts are opposed to movements of the fluid.
Further preferably, the filling chambers are formed in the area of the portions or forms them. By this, a bi- or multi-chambered hollow body may be formed, respectively, the sitting area of which is divided into portions each of them forming by its own filling chamber.
In another embodiment the connecting web is formed hollow-shaped, such that it forms an internal channel, which is suitable for exchanging of air or fluid between the individual portions of the hollow body, respectively. For this purpose, the hollow-shaped connecting web opens at both ends into the spacious interior of the corresponding parts of the hollow body, connecting it.
In a further embodiment, the hollow-shaped connecting web is used with a hollow body having several filling chambers and preferably connects at least two of these chambers. By this, air or fluid can be moved between the chambers, respectively, such that the filling ratio of the individual chambers may be changed at wish of the user.
Advantageously, the skin of the hollow body is made of polymer, particularly the skin of the hollow body may contain softened polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The wall thickness of the skin of the hollow body has preferably a thickness in the range of 1 mm to 8 mm.
In a preferred embodiment the hollow body according to the preferred embodiments has a base area spaced form the sitting area. The surrounding peripheries of the sitting area and the base area are connected via a transition area, which extends continuously between the peripheries. The transition area is formed such that it supports the shape and from the U-like shaped sitting area in a stabilizing way.
Preferably, the transition area can have in its cross section a substantially semi-circular or semi-elliptic cross section. Further, the transition area can have in its cross section a total cross section composed of one or several substantially semi-circular or semi-elliptic cross portions.
Further objects, advantages and features of the preferred embodiments will become clear from the following exemplary description of preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1a is a top view of a first embodiment of the hollow body;
FIG. 1b is a cross section along the line Fxe2x80x94F of FIG. 1;
FIG. 1c is a cross section along the line Gxe2x80x94G of FIG. 1;
FIG. 2a is a top view of a second embodiment of the hollow body;
FIG. 2b is a sectional view along the line Bxe2x80x94B in FIG. 2a of an embodiment according o the invention;
FIG. 2c is a sectional view along the line Bxe2x80x94B in FIG. 2a of a further embodiment according o the invention;
FIG. 3 is a top view of a further embodiment of the hollow body according to the present invention;
FIG. 4a are sectional views along the lines Cxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Cxe2x80x2 and Dxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Dxe2x80x2 in FIG. 3 of an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4b are sectional views along the lines Cxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Cxe2x80x2 and Dxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Dxe2x80x2 in FIG. 3 of a further embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4c are sectional views along the lines Cxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Cxe2x80x2 and Dxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Dxe2x80x2 in FIG. 3 of a further embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5a is a sectional view along the line Bxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Bxe2x80x2 in FIG. 3 of an embodiment according to the invention;
FIG. 5b is a sectional view along the line Bxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Bxe2x80x2 in FIG. 3 of a further embodiment according to the invention;
FIG. 5c is a sectional view along the line Bxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Bxe2x80x2 in FIG. 3 of a further embodiment according to the invention.